I just got a good deal on two old smoothers off ebay. One is a nice millers falls – i plan on cleaning it up and putting it to its intended use. the other is a no name (says only “made in usa”) with relatively poor fit/finish. Nonetheless, it will function in some capacity.

I was wondering if there’s something else i could do with this? I was thinking i could turn it into a scrub plane, but then i dont plan on handplaning rough stock.

Really, I would tune it up just for the fun of it. It’s a great feeling to take a piece of junk and actually make it cut well. I know it can be done. I especially enjoy taking on old beat up wooden plane and see thin curls coming off. It always helps to have multiple planes anyway. I leave some set for thick cuts, and some for fine. That way I’m not constantly going back and forth. I frequently use cheaper planes for rougher work.

Perhaps donating it to a new woodworker just staring up. I always read and hear of stories about people using their grandfathers or great grandfathers hand planes like the tool is a right of passage into developing basic skills. This seems like a perfect opportunity to dontate a tool that will help create a new woodworker and teach them some of the important skills involved with hand tools.